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Rezolution Pictures International

With its hard-hitting focus on social and political issues, aboriginal film and production company Rezolution Pictures International plunges head-on into difficult subjects and controversy. For this they have been both praised and pilloried: While their work has earned international recognition and myriad awards, the Grand Council of the Crees – the political arm of the Crees of northern Quebec – took great exception to Rezolution's portrayal of the Grand Council's role in encouraging Cree acceptance of the Eastmain-1 hydroelectric project.

Rezolution burst onto the scene in 2001. It was founded by, amongst others, Chisasibi's Ernest Webb, who writes, directs and produces films and T.V. series. Aided and abetted by Waskaganish's Neil Diamond, Rezolution's output is prodigious. Neil, who is a writer and director, is part of their creative team.

Beginning with Cree Spoken Here (2001), the two activists have collaborated on several documentaries: They co-directed One More River (2004), in which they accuse the Cree leadership of betraying the interests of the Crees; Heavy Metal: A Mining Disaster in Northern Quebec (2005) about the effects of chemical pollution on the Crees of Oujé-Bougoumou; and Reel Injun (2009) about the influence of Hollywood movies on conventional (mis)perceptions of aboriginal people.

They also worked together on the docudrama The Last Explorer (2009). In focusing on Neil's great-uncle, George Elson, whose role as guide in the Hubbard expeditions of 1903 and 1905 has been erased from the historical record, The Last Explorer questions the condescending – and ultimately, fatal – attitude of Hubbard towards his native guide. It also speculates about the nature of the relationship between George Elson and Mina Hubbard during the 1905 expedition.

In addition, Ernie and Neil co-directed three seasons of Dab Iyiyuu/Absolutely Cree, a T.V. series that explored wilderness skills, and stories and legends from Cree elders.

With all this seriousness, it was only time before humour, etched in the DNA of so many aboriginal people, would find an outlet: Two T.V. comedy series - Rez Rides (2006/07), the reality show that looks at native custom car shops, and Moose T.V. (2006/07) - were Rezolution's response to an irrepressible urge to see the funny side of life.